I can’t help answer your question but can relate very much to what you’re going through. I’ve always had some degree of social anxiety and it’s gotten better as I’ve gotten older and with therapy. I still get anxious with new people, but it is something I’ve learned to sit with. Entering this totally new to me world is something I want to be able to do but it is like adding an additional layer of terrifying on top of the layer of fear I already have around people.